Outbound interference reduction in a broadband powerline system

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for reducing outbound interference in a broadband powerline communication system. Data is modulated on first and second carrier frequencies and is transmitted via respective first and second lines of the powerline system. A characteristic of at least one of the carrier signals (e.g., phase or amplitude) is adjusted in order to improve the electrical balance of the lines of the transmission system. This improvement in electrical balance reduces the radiated interference of the powerline system. Also disclosed is the use of a line balancing element on or more lines of the powerline system for altering the characteristics of at least one of the power lines in order to compensate for a known imbalance of the transmission system.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/551,582, filed Nov. 24, 2014 and issued on Feb. 21, 2017 as U.S. Pat.No. 9,577,706, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 10/839,945, filed May 6, 2004 and issued on Jan. 20, 2015 as U.S.Pat. No. 8,938,021, and is related to commonly assigned patentapplication Ser. No. 10/840,096 filed on May 6, 2004 and issued on Aug.15, 2006 as U.S. Pat. No. 7,091,849, entitled Inbound InterferenceReduction in a Broadband Powerline System, all of which are incorporatedherein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This application relates generally to data transmission, and moreparticularly to data transmission over power lines.

The use of power lines to transmit data is known. Initially, powerlinecommunication systems were limited to relatively low data rates,typically less than 500 kbs. These low data rates are generally usefulfor applications such as remote control of various switches connected tothe powerline system. More recently, developments have been made in thearea of broadband powerline communication systems, also known aspowerline telecommunications (PLT) systems or broadband powerline (BPL)systems. These systems are capable of transmitting data at significantlyhigher data rates than previous systems. For example, BPL systems cantransmit data at rates of 4-20 Mbps.

While existing powerline systems are capable of transmitting data at therates described above, they were not initially designed for datatransmission. Instead, they were designed to carry large currents athigh voltages so that significant amounts of energy could be distributedat one primary low frequency (e.g., 60 Hertz).

Powerline communication systems generally use one or more carrierfrequencies in order to spread the data transmission over a wider rangeof frequencies. The low data rate powerline communication systemsdiscussed above generally utilized frequencies in the range of 9kHz to525 kHz. In this frequency range the risk of emissions is low as theattenuation of the cable is low and the wavelengths used in thesignaling are long with respect to the typical cable lengths in thesystem. However, the high data rates of BPL systems cannot be achievedusing carrier frequencies below 525 kHz. Instead, BPL systems typicallyuse carrier frequencies in the range of 1-30 MHz. At these higherfrequencies the powerline cables become more effective radiators ofelectromagnetic waves.

One of the problems with a BPL system is the risk of interference toradio communications services caused by the generation ofelectromagnetic emissions from the powerlines over which the BPL systemoperates. The physical attributes of the powerlines (e.g., highelevation and unshielded wiring) along with the higher carrier signalfrequencies needed for high bandwidth data transmission, contribute tothis interference problem.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

I have recognized that a power line acts as an antenna and may bemodeled using antenna analysis techniques. Further, I have recognizedthat the key to reducing interference effects of a BPL system is toreduce the gain of the power lines which are acting as an antenna. Oneadvantageous technique for reducing gain is to use a balancedtransmission line, which may be achieved by using two wires anddifferential excitation. While the general properties of balancedtransmission lines is known in the art, the prior art has notappreciated the benefit of balanced transmission lines for reducingradiated interference in powerline communication systems. I haverealized that such unwanted interference can be reduced, or eliminated,by exploiting the properties of a balanced (or approximately balanced)transmission line.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, data is transmittedvia modulated first and second carrier signals on respective first andsecond lines of the powerline system. At least one characteristic of atleast one of the first and second carrier signals is adjusted in orderto improve the electrical balance of the lines of the powerline system.The adjusted characteristic may be, for example, carrier signal phase orcarrier signal amplitude.

In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the powerlinecommunication system is a frequency division multiplexed systemtransmitting data on a plurality of frequency channels and the carriersignal characteristics are adjusted independently for each of thefrequency channels.

The adjustments of the carrier signal characteristics may be performedin response to known imbalances in the powerline transmission system, ormay be performed in response to a dynamic determination of an imbalancein the powerline transmission system.

In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, thecharacteristics of the transmission lines may be altered using a linebalancing element in order to improve the electrical balance of thetransmission lines. For example, the line balancing element may be awrap-around magnetically permeable core which impedes the transmissionof RF signals.

These and other advantages of the invention will be apparent to those ofordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detaileddescription and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a typical prior art powerline communication system;

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the invention utilizing a linebalancing element; and

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the invention utilizing adaptivemethods.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A typical prior art powerline communication system 100 is shown inFIG. 1. A head end network node 106 is connected to a data network 102via a fiber optic cable 104. In accordance with a typical networkservice, the head end 106 is configured to transmit data to end userpremises (e.g., premises 108) using powerline cables as the transmissionmedium. The head end 106 is also configured to convert signals in theoptical domain received from fiber 104 to the electrical domain usingwell known optical to electrical conversion techniques. The head end 106is connected to a transmitter 110. The transmitter 110 contains amodulator 112 which modulates the data received from head end 106 onto acarrier signal using well known RF modulation techniques. As describedabove, typical carrier frequencies for a powerline communication systemare in the range of 1-30 MHz. The modulated signal is provided to thepowerline cable 114 via line 116 and coupler 118. A powerlinecommunication system 100 of the type shown in FIG. 1 may use orthogonalfrequency division multiplexing (OFDM) in which the available bandwidthis split up into multiple narrowband channels which do not interferewith each other. Thus, in accordance with OFDM transmission, multiplecarrier signals, each having its own frequency band and representing adistinct data channel, are carried over the cable 114.

For purposes of the present description, it is assumed that thepowerline cable 114 is a medium voltage (MV) powerline cable typicallysupplying power at 4-66 kV. Such medium voltage cable is typically analuminum cable having a 1 cm diameter. Coupler 118 couples the modulatedcarrier signal supplied by line 116 to the MV line 114. Various types ofcouplers 118 are known in the art. For example, coupler 118 may be aninductive coupler, a capacitive coupler, or may employ direct metalliccontact. The carrier signal is transmitted along the length of MVpowerline cable 114 to coupler 120 which couples the signal from the MVpowerline cable 114 to a receiver 124 via line 122.

The signal from receiver 124 is provided to the premises 108 via lowvoltage (LV) powerline 128. The low voltage powerline typically supplypower at 100-240 volts. Thus, one of the functions of the receiver is totranslate the data from the MV line to the LV line. The low voltage lineis connected to a modem 130 within the premises 108. The modem 130demodulates the signal received from the MV powerline cable 114 andextracts the data that was transmitted from the head end 106. It isnoted that in particular embodiments, it is possible that the receiver124 further functions to demodulate the data and deliver it to a secondtransmitter (not shown) that would re-modulate the data and send it tothe premises 108.

It is noted that for ease of description only downstream (i.e., fromhead end to end user) data transmission is shown and described. Oneskilled in the art would readily recognize that upstream transmissioncould be accomplished in a similar manner.

As described above in the background section, one of the significantproblems with powerline data transmission systems as shown in FIG. 1 isthe effect of interference from the powerline transmission lines. Asdescribed above, there is the risk of interference to radiocommunications services caused by the generation of electromagneticemissions from the powerlines over which the system operates.

I have recognized that a MV powerline acts as an antenna and may bemodeled using antenna analysis techniques. Using the assumptionsdescribed above, and depending upon the effective terminating impedancepresented by the couplers, the MV line may be considered to be dipoleantenna (approximately several wavelengths long) or a traveling-wave(Beverage) antenna. In either case, the power line's ohmic resistance isless than 2 ohms, and so dissipation is negligible. The powerline wireradiates approximately half the power launched in each direction andmakes the remaining half available at the termination points. For eitherthe dipole or the traveling-wave antenna, the effective gain G of thewire is approximately 0-10 dB, depending upon the wavelength.

If P is the power launched onto the wire, then the Effective IsotropicRadiated Power (EIRP) is defined as

${E\; I\; R\; P} \approx {\left( \frac{P}{2} \right)G}$

In the United States, Part 15 of the Federal Communications CommissionRules, (47 CFR 15) sets forth the regulations under which anintentional, unintentional, or incidental radiator may be operatedwithout an individual license. Under these rules, the upper limit onallowable launched power is give by:

$\frac{E\; I\; R\; P}{4\pi\; r^{2}} < \frac{E\;\max^{2}}{Zfs}$where r=30 m, Emax=30 uV/m in 9 KHz and Zfs=377 ohms. For G=10, thisputs an upper limit on launched power of Pmax=−52 dBm in a 9 KHzchannel. See, e.g., 47 CFR 15.109, 15.209.

The lower limit on launched power is set by the interferenceenvironment. Assume, for example, that we want to protect againstincoming interference with a margin of 10 dB. For strong interference,e.g., received level of S9 or −73 dBm, desired signal power at thereceiver must be greater than −73 dBm+10 dB or −63 dBm, so the launchedpower must be greater than −60 dBm. (Since only about half of thelaunched power is available at the receiver). Thus, the launched power(in a 9 KHz slot) is bounded by:−60 dBm<launched power<−52 dBm.

The above described model defines the basic constraint on the signalpower levels in a BPL system. For reasonable system parameters, there isan operating window, within which it is possible to simultaneouslysatisfy the FCC requirements and also provide some margin againstoutside interference.

I have recognized that the key to reducing interference effects of a BPLsystem is to reduce the gain G of the power lines which are acting as anantenna. Such a reduction in gain G has several benefits. For example,if G is reduced by 10 dB, then the signal power required at the receiverto maintain margin against a given outside interferer is reduced by alike amount, and thus the radiated interference is reduced by 20 dB.

As a result of the above recognized model, I have also realized that oneadvantageous technique for reducing G is to use a balanced transmissionline, which may be achieved by using two wires and differentialexcitation. Balanced data transmission is well known in the art of datatransmission, and generally requires at least two conductors per signal.The transmitted signal is referenced by the difference of potentialbetween the lines, not with respect to ground. Thus, differential datatransmission reduces the effects of noise, which is seen as common modevoltage (i.e., seen on both lines), not differential, and is rejected bydifferential receivers. In the simplest type of differential datatransmission system, the same signal is transmitted via bothtransmission lines, with the phase of the signals being offset from eachother by 180 degrees. More sophisticated differential systems allow forthe adjustment of the relative phase and amplitude of the twotransmitted signals.

For an ideal balanced line, G=0 and there is no interference. For twoparallel wires separated by a non-infinitesimal distance d, the fieldstrength at a distance r is reduced by approximately d/r compared withthe single-wire case. Thus for d=1 m and r=30 m, G is reduced byapproximately 30 dB.

While the general properties of balanced transmission lines are known inthe art, the prior art has not appreciated the benefit of balancedtransmission lines for reducing radiated interference in powerlinecommunication systems. I have realized that such unwanted interferencecan be reduced, or eliminated, by exploiting the properties of abalanced (or approximately balanced) transmission line.

A first embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 2shows a powerline communication system 200 comprising a transmitter 202coupled to a first powerline cable 210 and a second powerline cable 212via couplers 214 and 216 respectively. As described in conjunction withtransmitter 110 of FIG. 1, transmitter 202 encodes data received from anetwork node (e.g., a head end 106 as shown in FIG. 1) for transmissionvia the power lines. The transmitter 202 contains a modulator 204 formodulating a carrier signal with the data to be transmitted using wellknown modulation techniques. The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 usesdifferential data transmission whereby a first carrier signal ismodulated and coupled to power line 210 via coupler 214 and a secondcarrier signal is modulated and coupled to power line 212 via coupler216. The signals are received via couplers 218 and 220 which areconnected to a differential receiver 222. Differential receiver 222responds to the difference between the signals receive via coupler 218and 220, and transmits the difference signal to a modem 224 within thepremises 226. The modem 224 demodulates the signal received from the MVpower lines to extract the transmitted data.

In accordance with known differential data transmission techniques, bothcarrier signals have the same frequency and are modulated with the samedata, but the carrier signals are transmitted having different phases.In accordance with known differential data transmission techniques, thecarrier signals would be out of phase with each other by 180 degrees.However, such carrier phase signal characteristics (i.e., preciseopposite phase) would only minimize interference if the two power lines210 and 212 were fully physically symmetrical. However, in actual use,power lines are rarely fully physically symmetrical, and therefore thebenefits of using differential data transmission are not fully realizedwith respect to reducing unwanted radiated interference.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a differentialdriver 206 is used in connection with transmitter 202. The differentialdriver 206 is configured to adjust the characteristics of the carriersignal. This particular embodiment is useful, for example, if there is aknown imbalance in the transmission lines. By having information aboutimbalance, the differential driver 206 may be configured to compensatefor the known imbalance by adjusting various characteristics of thecarrier signals. For example, the differential driver 206 may adjust thephases of the carrier signals so that they are not precisely 180 degreesout of phase. Alternatively, the differential driver 206 may beconfigured to adjust the amplitude of the signals. The main idea is thatthe differential driver 206 adjusts one or more characteristics of thecarrier signals in order to compensate for known imbalances in thetransmission lines. In this way, when data is transmitted usingdifferential data transmission, the overall transmission system isrendered balanced. As such, there is reduced unwanted radiatedelectromagnetic interference.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is particularly advantageous when OFDMdata transmission is utilized, because each frequency channel may beindividually adjusted in order to better balance the system as a whole.In such an embodiment, the differential driver adjusts signalcharacteristics of each narrowband carrier signal individually, becausethe imbalances in the transmission lines may affect different frequencychannels in the OFDM system differently.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the invention. FIG. 3 shows apowerline communication system 300 comprising a transmitter 302 coupledto a first powerline cable 310 and a second powerline cable 312 viacouplers 314 and 316 respectively. As described in conjunction withtransmitter 110 of FIG. 1, transmitter 302 encodes data received from anetwork node (e.g., a head end 106 as shown in FIG. 1) for transmissionvia the power lines. The transmitter 302 contains a modulator 304 formodulating a carrier signal with the data to be transmitted as describedabove. The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 also uses differential datatransmission as described above. The signals are received via couplers318 and 320 which are connected to differential receiver 322. Thedifferenced signal is then provided to modem 324 within the premises326. The modem 324 demodulates the signal received from the MV powerlines to extract the transmitted data.

In contrast to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the known imbalances inthe transmission lines are compensated for using a line balancingelement 328 connected to one or more of the power lines. The linebalancing element 328 alters the characteristics of the power line towhich it is connected in order to improve the electrical balance of thepowerline system. For example, the line balancing element may be apassive element that clips onto the MV line and provides an impedance(optionally tuned) to compensate for an unbalanced discontinuity on oneside of the transmission line. In one embodiment, the element may be aradiator to null out unwanted radiation from the discontinuity. Inanother embodiment, the line balancing element may be a wrap-aroundmagnetically permeable (e.g., iron or ferrite) core which impedes thetransmission of RF signals. In yet another embodiment, the linebalancing element is a stub antenna whose radiation phase and magnitudeis adjusted to suppress unwanted radiation from the unbalanced system.An example of this technique is the case where one of the MV lines has atransformer attached to it, and the other MV line does not, which canresult in a large imbalance. A wrap-around iron (or ferrite) core may beplaced on the lead to the transformer where it taps onto the MV linesuch that RF currents will not be able to flow off of the MV line andinto the transformer. That is, the RF currents will not see thetransformer so that the MV lines appear to be balanced.

Although FIG. 3 shows a line balancing element 328 on one of thetransmission lines 312, in various embodiments additional line balancingelements may be used on transmission line 312 and transmission line 310in order to balance the system.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the invention in which adaptivemethods are used to balance the system. The embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3assumed that the imbalances in the system were known, and therefore thedifferential driver of FIG. 2, or the line balancing element(s) 328 ofFIG. 3, could be configured in advance to compensate for the knownimbalances. The embodiment of FIG. 4 provides a technique for balancinga system where the imbalances may not be known in advance. FIG. 4 showsa powerline communication system 400 comprising a transmitter 402coupled to a first powerline cable 410 and a second powerline cable 412via capacitive couplers 414 and 416 respectively. As described inconjunction with transmitter 110 of FIG. 1, transmitter 402 encodes datareceived from a network node (e.g., a head end 106 as shown in FIG. 1)for transmission via the power lines. The transmitter 402 contains amodulator 408 for modulating a carrier signal with the data to betransmitted as described above. Similar to the embodiment shown in FIG.2, the embodiment of FIG. 4 also contains a differential driver 404. Thesignals are received via capacitive couplers 418 and 420 which areconnected to a differential receiver 422. The decoded signal is thenprovided to modem 424 within the premises 426. The modem 424 demodulatesthe signal received from the MV power lines to extract the transmitteddata.

Unlike the embodiment of FIG. 2, the differential driver 404 is notconfigured in advance to adjust the properties of the carrier signal(s)in a predetermined manner. Instead the differential driver isdynamically configurable to adjust the characteristics of the carriersignal(s) as necessary to compensate for discovered imbalances in thepowerline transmission system.

The transmitter 402 of FIG. 4 also contains an adaptive adjustmentmodule 406 for controlling the adjustment properties of the differentialdriver 404. The adaptive adjustment module sends signals to thedifferential driver 404 indicating the signal characteristic adjustmentsthat need to be made in order to balance the transmission system. In oneembodiment, the adaptive adjustment module builds a numerical model ofthe antenna properties of the power lines, and adjusts the differentialdriver appropriately.

The foregoing Detailed Description is to be understood as being in everyrespect illustrative and exemplary, but not restrictive, and the scopeof the invention disclosed herein is not to be determined from theDetailed Description, but rather from the claims as interpretedaccording to the full breadth permitted by the patent laws. It is to beunderstood that the embodiments shown and described herein are onlyillustrative of the principles of the present invention and that variousmodifications may be implemented by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of the invention.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method for reducing interference radiatedby a powerline transmission system, the method comprising: transmittingfirst data via a modulated first carrier signal on a first line of thepowerline transmission system; transmitting second data via a modulatedsecond carrier signal on a second line of the powerline transmissionsystem; and adjusting a characteristic of at least one of the modulatedfirst carrier signal or the modulated second carrier signal based on aknown imbalance between the first line and the second line to improve anelectrical balance of the first line and the second line of thepowerline transmission system, wherein the known imbalance is apredetermined characteristic of the first and second lines.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein adjusting a characteristic of at least one ofthe modulated first carrier signal or the modulated second carriersignal based on the known imbalance between the first line and thesecond line to improve the electrical balance of the first line and thesecond line of the powerline transmission system comprises: adjusting acarrier signal phase of at least one of the modulated first carriersignal or the modulated second carrier signal based on the knownimbalance between the first line and the second line to improve theelectrical balance between the first and second lines of the powerlinetransmission system.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting acharacteristic of at least one of the modulated first carrier signal orthe modulated second carrier signal based on the known imbalance betweenthe first line and the second line to improve the electrical balance ofthe first line and the second line of the powerline transmission systemcomprises: adjusting a carrier signal magnitude of at least one of themodulated first carrier signal or the modulated second carrier signalbased on the known imbalance between the first line and the second lineto improve the electrical balance between the first and second lines ofthe powerline transmission system.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein thepowerline transmission system is a frequency division multiplexed systemtransmitting data on a plurality of frequency channels.
 5. The method ofclaim 4, wherein adjusting is performed independently for each of thefrequency channels.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein adjusting acharacteristic of at least one of the modulated first carrier signal orthe modulated second carrier signal based on the known imbalance betweenthe first line and the second line to improve the electrical balance ofthe first line and the second line of the powerline transmission systemcomprises: adjusting a phase independently for each of the frequencychannels in the at least one of the modulated first carrier signal orthe modulated second carrier signal.
 7. The method of claim 5, whereinadjusting a characteristic of at least one of the modulated firstcarrier signal or the modulated second carrier signal based on the knownimbalance between the first line and the second line to improve theelectrical balance of the first line and the second line of thepowerline transmission system comprises: adjusting an amplitudeindependently for each of the frequency channels in the at least one ofthe modulated first carrier signal or the modulated second carriersignal.
 8. A transmitter for use in a powerline communication systemhaving a first transmission line and a second transmission line, thetransmitter comprising: at least one modulator for modulating first dataonto a first carrier signal and for modulating second data onto a secondcarrier signal; and a differential driver connected to the at least onemodulator for adjusting a characteristic of at least one of the firstcarrier signal or the second carrier signal to improve an electricalbalance of the powerline communication system based on a known imbalancebetween the first transmission line and the second transmission line,wherein the known imbalance is a predetermined characteristic of thefirst and second transmission lines.
 9. The transmitter of claim 8,wherein the differential driver adjusts a carrier signal phase of atleast one of the first carrier signal or the second carrier signal basedon the known imbalance between the first transmission line and thesecond transmission line.
 10. The transmitter of claim 8, wherein thedifferential driver adjusts a carrier signal phase of at least one ofthe first carrier signal or the second carrier signal based on the knownimbalance between the first transmission line and the secondtransmission line.
 11. The transmitter of claim 8, wherein the powerlinecommunication system is a frequency division multiplexed systemtransmitting data on a plurality of frequency channels.
 12. Thetransmitter of claim 11, wherein the differential driver performs theadjusting independently for each of the frequency channels.
 13. Thetransmitter of claim 12, wherein the differential driver adjusts a phaseindependently for each of the frequency channels in the at least one ofthe first carrier signal or the second carrier signal.
 14. Thetransmitter of claim 12, wherein the differential driver adjusts anamplitude independently for each of the frequency channels in the atleast one of the first carrier signal or the second carrier signal. 15.A method for reducing interference radiated by a powerline transmissionsystem comprising: transmitting first and second data via respectivemodulated first and second carrier signals on respective first andsecond transmission lines of the powerline transmission system usingdifferential excitation; and generating the modulated first and secondcarrier signals having characteristics which compensate for a knownimbalance between first and second transmission lines of the powerlinetransmission system, wherein the known imbalance is a predeterminedcharacteristic of the first and second transmission lines.
 16. Themethod of claim 15, wherein generating the modulated first and secondcarrier signals having characteristics which compensate for the knownimbalance between the first and second transmission lines of thepowerline transmission system, wherein the known imbalance is apredetermined characteristic of the first and second transmission linescomprises: generating the modulated first and second carrier signalshaving carrier signal phases which compensate for the known imbalancebetween the first and second transmission lines of the powerlinetransmission system.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein generating themodulated first and second carrier signals having characteristics whichcompensate for the known imbalance between first and second transmissionlines of the powerline transmission system, wherein the known imbalanceis a predetermined characteristic of the first and second transmissionlines comprises: generating the modulated first and second carriersignals having carrier signal magnitudes which compensate for the knownimbalance between the first and second transmission lines of thepowerline transmission system.
 18. The method of claim 15, wherein thepowerline transmission system is a frequency division multiplexed systemtransmitting data on a plurality of frequency channels.
 19. The methodof claim 18, wherein generating the modulated first and second carriersignals having characteristics which compensate for the known imbalancebetween the first and second transmission lines of the powerlinetransmission system comprises: generating the modulated first and secondcarrier signals in which phases are adjusted independently for each ofthe frequency channels in the modulated first and second carrier signalsto compensate for the known imbalance between the first and secondtransmission lines of the powerline transmission system.
 20. The methodof claim 18, wherein generating the modulated first and second carriersignals having characteristics which compensate for the known imbalancebetween the first and second transmission lines of the powerlinetransmission system comprises: generating the modulated first and secondcarrier signals in which amplitudes are adjusted independently for eachof the frequency channels in the modulated first and second carriersignals to compensate for the known imbalance between the first andsecond transmission lines of the powerline transmission system.